Guzmania plant named ‘Flo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Guzmania  plant named ‘Flo’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; narrow dark green-colored leaves; large inflorescences with showy dark red-colored bracts; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Guzmania cardinalis×Guzmania wittmackii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FLO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmania plant, botanically known as Guzmania cardinalis×Guzmania wittmackii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Flo’.

The new Guzmania plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Laarne, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Guzmania plants having unique bract colors and enhanced postproduction longevity.

The new Guzmania originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in January, 2009 in Laarne, Belgium of an unnamed proprietary selection of Guzmania cardinalis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Guzmania wittmackii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Guzmania plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Laarne, Belgium in January, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Guzmania plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Laarne, Belgium since June, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Guzmania plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Guzmania have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Flo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Flo’ as a new and distinct Guzmania plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Narrow dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Large inflorescences with showy dark red-colored bracts.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Guzmania are taller and more vigorous than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Guzmania have darker red-colored bracts         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in bract color as plants of the male parent selection have orange-colored bracts.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of Guzmania ‘Indian Night’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Laarne, Belgium, plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Indian Night’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Indian Night’ differed in         bract color as plants of ‘Indian Night’ had purple-colored         bracts.     -   2. Bracts of plants of the new Guzmania were strongly curved         whereas bracts of plants of ‘Indian Night’ were moderately         curved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Guzmania plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Guzmania plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Flo’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Flo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring and early summer in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Laarne, Belgium and under cultural practices typical of commercial Guzmania production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 21° C. and maximum light levels were 18,000 lux. Plants were three years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Guzmania cardinalis×Guzmania wittmackii     ‘Flo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Guzmania cardinalis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Guzmania wittmackii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching plant             habit; broad inverted triangle; basal rosette of outwardly             curved strap-like leaves affixed in tight spiral ranks;             terminal inflorescence on an upright scape emerging from the             center of the basal rosette; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About             57.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 70.3 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves             sessile.         -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Plants typically produce about             18 leaves prior to inflorescence development.         -   Length.—About 40.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ligulate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate; twisting.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Aspect.—Leaves curved outward over their length and arching             downward towards the apex.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Leathery, stiff; smooth,             glabrous.         -   Venation.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than between 137A and 146A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Between 137B to 137C and 143A. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to             N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Between 146A             and 147A; venation, close to between 146A and 147A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form.—Spike inflorescence form originating             inside the leaf rosette; about 14 flowers develop per             inflorescence; flowers sessile.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about ten months             after planting; plants flower naturally during late winter             into the spring in Belgium.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six weeks on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 19.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 21 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Close to 34B to 34C; towards the             base, close to 160B.         -   Flowers.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Six. Length: About 3.2 cm.             Width: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 5B. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 158C to 158D.         -   Lower (scape) bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Length:             About 17.5 cm. Width: About 4.2 cm. Shape: Ligulate; curved             downward. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing. Margin: Entire.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             45A; apex, close to N137A; sheath, close to 144A. Color,             lower surface: Close to 45A; apex, close to 137B; sheath,             close to 144A.         -   Upper bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About             13.5 cm. Width: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Ligulate; curved             downward. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing. Margin: Entire.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 42A; apex, close to 45A; sheath, close to 144A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl.             Length: About 5.7 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Narrowly             lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse to broadly acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 34B to             34C; towards the base, close to 151D.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 45.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to between 145C and 150C.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: About twelve. Filament length:             About 3.7 cm. Filament color: Close to 152D. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1 cm. Anther color: Close             to 150D. Pollen amount: None observed.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4.5 cm. Stigma shape: Three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to             151A. Style length: About 3.7 cm. Style color: Close to             150D. Ovary color: Close to 157B to 157D.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed production have not been             observed on plants of the new Guzmania. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Guzmania have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zone 10. -   Interiorscape performance: Plants of the new Guzmania have been     observed to have good postproduction longevity under interior     conditions. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Guzmania plants has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Guzmania plant named ‘Flo’ as illustrated and described. 